Digital Portfolios, Pre-assessments, and Participation systems.

Digital Portfolios are an amazing tool for all students to use since it provides accessibility, portability, and allows creativity. Digital Portfolios allow for students to always be able to access their work, while increasing their technological skills. When I read this section I specifically thought of those students who grow up in foster homes, or those whose parents do not maintain a stable environment. These digital portfolios would allow these types of students a way of always being able to access their work, or present their work, or even share it if they would like.

Digital Portfolios like all things have disadvantages some of these disadvantages include knowledge and skill requirement, expensive equipment, time and energy, etc. To me these disadvantages are things that can be easily solved, for example, the knowledge and skill requirements can be worked on and developed over time. Just like the knowledge and skill disadvantage the expensive equipment disadvantage is relative because expensive equipment such as computers are available at schools, public libraries, or even internet cafes.

            Preassessments are used by teachers as a way of determining what students know or can already do in order to inform subsequent plans for teaching. Preassessments can be given in many forms such as pretest, writing prompts, graphic organizers, observations, and surveys. These preassessments are given in order to activate prior knowledge, students may not always remember immediately so they need to be reminded.

An effective way of carrying out these preassessments in order to activate prior knowledge is through online surveys. Online surveys are a poll that is delivered and charted online. These online surveys allow the teacher to have an idea of what skills and knowledge students have as well as what they need to learn. Online surveys are also an effective way of tracking student progress.

        Participation systems are handheld wireless tools that offer interactive learning options for teachers and students. These systems use technologies such as wireless remote control devices to create real-time electronic exchanges between students and teachers. These systems allow for the teacher to involve the whole class in the lesson. An example of a participation system would be a clicker. Teaching with a clicker allows for active learning since the students are participating rather than just listening to the teacher, while also increasing student engagement since everyone’s ideas matter. It also allows for real-time feedback, the clicker provides the teacher with immediate student feedback on content knowledge and test performance without correcting paper quizzes and entering grades.